7/31/2020

She Learned ASL To Advocate for Others

Some say money is no object. Well, Kimatha says language is no barrier. She has learned Spanish and ASL (American Sign Language) to be able to communicate and advocate for others. Read on for Kimatha’s language learning journey and her tips for learning Spanish and ASL.

BGLL: Thank you so much for sharing your language learning journey with us. Tell us about yourself.

Kimatha: My name is Kimatha Greer and I’m from Detroit, MI. I’m African American and Native American. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. Currently, I am a psychiatric care specialist and a social worker. In between both achievements, I have given trainings to staff and parents on how to problem solve with at risk/troubled youth and children with autism. 

In addition to these two jobs, I also have a YouTube channel highlighting natural hair care and most importantly mental health in the African American and underserved communities. 

BGLL: What kind of services do you provide as a psychiatric care specialist, social worker and a mental health YouTuber?

Kimatha: As a psychiatric care specialist/social worker, services are provided based on the child’s needs. My clients can suffer from depression, autism, and even schizophrenia. My job is to educate parents on how to work with their child and plan accordingly. 

Having my YouTube channel helps me bring more awareness to mental health, it’s importance, and other valuable information. Sadly, underserved communities are not given this education nor the resources.

BGLL: Which languages do you know?

Kimatha: As of now, I am proud to say that I know Spanish. Spanish has been a part of my life for years. During my first career job as a family specialist, it became even more important. In Nashville, Tennessee, the Hispanic/Latin culture is very prominent. The day I couldn’t help a client because of a language barrier, was the day I started to go even harder with my Spanish language learning. Breaking pass this language barrier has allowed me to help even more people. 

I am also learning ASL (American Sign Language). Being able to advocate for people is my passion. When I worked at Amazon during graduate school, there were a lot of deaf/hard of hearing workers (who I’m still friends with today). There were no interpreters available to help communicate daily job duties which I believed was unfair. My passion and my belief in fairness pushed me to learn. Again, no language will ever become a barrier for me when it comes to helping someone. 

BGLL: Were you able to take advantage of any opportunities due to your languages?

Learning and knowing Spanish has opened a lot of doors. In fact, I was able to travel with the peace corps to Ecuador to teach English as a foreign language because of my previous Spanish language knowledge. Many job opportunities have opened up for me as well. For example, I was offered a position to work with Hispanic/Latino youth in southwest Detroit as a mental health specialist. 

BGLL: How did you learn ASL?

Kimatha: ASL (American sign language) is still in process. Years ago, while I was working at AT&T, there was a young lady who would come in my store every month to pay her bill. She was deaf and I would write her letters every time she came to our store. Eventually she would teach me easy phrases like “Hello” or “How are you?”. Her friendship meant so much to me and I wanted to speak to her in her language. This motivated me to want to learn ASL. 

BGLL: What was your hardest struggle with language and how did you overcome it?

Kimatha: My hardest struggle with language was being consistent, because I couldn’t picture myself speaking another language. One day, I told myself I’ll be consistent and see what happens. If I have to make a fool of myself in public, I’ll keep going. 

BGLL: Did you ever feel shy to speak? How did you overcome that?

Kimatha: In the beginning, I was very shy. As humans we always worry about other people’s perception. How will they see me? Am I trying too hard? Will they laugh at me? 

When I moved to Ecuador, my shyness broke free. Spending my time around people who were also learning a different language made me a lot more comfortable. In addition, while working with my students, I couldn’t tell them not to be shy when I was shy myself. When I realized how bad I wanted my students to succeed, I would speak Spanish in front of them all the time, mistakes and all. I wanted to show my students that I was learning, too, and it’s ok to make mistakes. That’s how we become better. 

BGLL: Which of your foreign language is your favorite and why?

Kimatha: Both Spanish and ASL are my favorites. Connecting with people through language is so beautiful to me. However, these languages, for me, have a story. The purpose manifested from the encounters that I’ve had in my life. It’s not just because I thought they sound cool or looked cool, but because I came across people who meant something to me, people I want to fight for. 

BGLL: What are 3 tips you can offer those who are trying to learn another language?

Kimatha: DON’T STOP, find a language partner and do something pertaining to your language everyday (watching a movie, read a book, talk to a friend).

BGLL:  How can we keep up with you on social (social media)?

Kimatha: You can find me on Instagram at @natural.kimistry, my YouTube channel Kim Greer and on Facebook as LaShay Greer.

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7/24/2020

She Amplifies the Voice of Others

Meet Aïssa, a multilingual blogger that runs People Racializadas, a multilingual website which amplifies the voices of people of color, giving them an avenue to offer their life perspectives. Read on to find out more about her passion for languages, for making the community visible and how she was able to learn four languages.

BGLL: Thank you so much for agreeing to share your language learning journey. Tell us about yourself and what you do.

Aïssa: My name is Aïssa Sica, I’m 27 years old and I currently live in Berlin. My mom is Guinean (Conakry) and my dad is Senegalese. I studied International Business and Foreign Languages with French, Italian and German and currently struggle to find a job that I am passionate about. But I think I already found my dream job: my blog. 

For the past 2 years, I’ve been running a multilingual website, called People Racializadas, where I interview people of color (I hate this word, haha) around the world and write about different topics related to ethnic minorities (I also hate this word, haha) to bring awareness to different perspectives.

As a creative person, I also have a YouTube channel, Xam by Aïssa Sica, where I talk about personal stories, African history and cultures. I am not so active, but as we are in quarantine, I will be in the following weeks. 

BGLL: What languages do you speak? How did you learn them?

Aïssa: I speak French, English, German and Italian. At home, we mainly spoke French. Sadly, my dad never taught me Wolof because, to him, European languages were more important to learn. Despite insisting so many times to learn the most beautiful language (for me), he only spoke Wolof when he was angry at me. 

Growing up in France, we were taught foreign languages at a young age. In secondary school, I started with English, as it is mandatory. I also lived in Germany as a kid, so it was quite easy for me to learn German in school as well.

I learned Italian in the 3rd year of my bachelor’s program. I had the opportunity to do Erasmus. I was hesitating between the UK, Germany and Italy. I ended up choosing Italy for la dolce vita. It was a very interesting and particular experience, which I share on my blog. I even ended up learning the Neapolitan dialect, as it is very important in Naples daily life.

But why did I choose to learn Italian? I went to a university where I had the choice between Mandarin and Italian and I chose the easiest one. Romance languages very easy to learn when you are a French native speaker. But the most important language to learn to me, to this day, is Wolof.

BGLL: Are you learning any other languages?

Aïssa: I am learning Wolof. I love Senegal and the culture. It has always been important to me to know more about my heritage. I am so happy, because nowadays you have Senegalese TV shows in Wolof language with French subtitles. This helped me to learn and improve my language skills. When I was a teenager, such a thing was not happening. There were no subtitles. What I do find difficult and unfair is, with learning Wolof, you have so few resources in comparison to European languages (Spanish, for example). Nevertheless, I won’t give up, since it is one of my favorite languages—along with Italian. I am also learning Spanish.

BGLL: What do you think is the most difficult thing about language learning?

Aïssa: I think what is in general difficult in languages is to learn the body language, to know what to say and not say, what is appropriate in a language can be not appropriate in another. Also, the lack of motivation is still something I struggle with. As I am quite busy with my blog and YouTube channel, I do not feel motivated enough to study the languages I am currently learning.

BGLL: What are some tips that you think would help others learn another language?

Aïssa: If you would like to learn a language, you need to make time for it and to prioritize, to be consistent. I do not think the longer you study, the better you know. It is all about how you learn and how you are focused when you learn it. If you study a language while being on social media, scrolling at your phone, it’s not going to work.

I would also advise to read or listen to a video every day for 5-10 minutes and learn a few words to extend your vocabulary.

Try to go to the country or countries learn the language every year, to practice your skills. I prefer learning while being in the country, by doing holidays for instance, which I planned for this year but sadly I have to postpone it. But I think the best way to learn a language is to have a partner who is a native speaker, so don’t hesitate to use Bumble or Tinder!

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social media?

Aïssa: If you want to read in German, French, English and Italian and are interested in the experiences and different perspectives of people of color, you can always visit my website and follow me on Instagram. On YouTube, you can follow me on Xam By Aïssa Sica.

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7/17/2020

She Helps Black & Brown People Affected by Disasters

Learning a language is a beautiful thing. It can help you connect to and communicate with people you normally wouldn’t be able to connect or communicate with. It can help you learn more about yourself. But nowadays, more and more people are using language to advocate for others. Meet Ariel, a health support technician and a Red Cross volunteer who uses her language to help represent others. Read more to find out about her language learning journey and her tips on what helped her learn Spanish.

BGLL: Thank you so much for agreeing to tell your language learning story. Tell us about yourself and what you do.

Ariel: My name is Ariel Wesley.  I currently live in Columbia, SC.  My heritage is West Indian (Trinidad), African American and Native American. I’m a native English speaker. I have an Associate’s Degree in Arts, a Patient Care Technician Certification, and am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Public Health with a concentration in Emergency Management.

Currently, I work as a health support technician in a hospital. The quick and dirty of my job is I’m something between a nurse and a CNA.  When I am not working, I volunteer with Red Cross which is something I’m passionate about. I find it frustrating to see that black and brown people are usually disproportionately affected by disasters and not adequately represented. 

BGLL: What opportunity/opportunities were you able to take advantage of because of your language?

At my previous hospital I was the go-to person on my unit when we didn’t have an interpreter available.  I’m hoping to work on a crash disaster Spanish course at my local Red Cross chapter. 

BGLL: What languages do you know? How did you learn them?

Ariel: There was some Spanish in the house and some Arabic in the house, as I was Muslim from the ages of 11-18.  I always heard bits and pieces of other languages, as I lived in New York until I was 14.  I knew some basic greetings in Arabic and the alphabet in ASL. I can also follow some Italian. 

I took [Spanish] classes initially.  I have taken Spanish from the 7th grade through my freshman year of college (the first attempt).  My great grandfather was Portuguese, but I never got a chance to meet him and learn about that side of the family.  I am a firm believer that if you want to get to know someone, listen to them speak and watch what they eat.  Where I went to school, there were no Portuguese classes, so I decide that Spanish was the next best thing, So, here we are.  

After I improve my fluency in Spanish, I hope to work on ASL. Columbia has a sizable deaf and mute population.

BGLL: What’s the hardest thing about learning Spanish?

Ariel: Sometimes, I get nervous speaking especially with a native speaker.  I always wonder about intonations and colloquialisms. But even harder than, though, is when I am listening to someone speak in Spanish and I struggle to keep up.  I feel embarrassed because they may use a word that I haven’t learned or conjugate in a tense I don’t use on a regular basis.  I am practicing more on Duolingo and practicing with my coworkers who speak Spanish.   

BGLL: Which of your foreign languages is/are your favorite and why?

Ariel: I love speaking Spanish.  I love how involved you are when you speak the language.  But if we are talking about listening to a language, I love listening to Arabic.  Even though I no longer practice Islam, when I’m near a mosque and hear the call to prayer, it stirs something in me. 

BGLL:  What are 3 tips you can offer those who are trying to learn another language?

Ariel:  First, listen to the language. I like listening to the Duolingo Podcast on Spotify on the way to work or if I have some down time. I like this podcast in particular, because it provides context along the way. Second, find people on social media who are interested in learning another language.  I follow Black Girls Learn Languages and Black Bilingual.  I like those pages because I find that everyone is engaged, helpful and they aren’t pretentious. Lastly, if you can, go to local events. My area had events where you can meet other bilinguals/polyglots or volunteer to help others learn.

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7/10/2020

She Rapped in French

One of my most favorite language hacks is learning a language through music. But Naomi flipped it, when she used music (rapping) to help her get over the fear of speaking in another language. Read on to learn more about Naomi’s language learning journey and for her tips on what helped her learn French and Mandarin.

BGLL: Thanks for sharing your story! Tell us about yourself.

Naomi: My name is Naomi Francis and I’m from London, UK. I’m of black Caribbean heritage and I’m a native English speaker. I have a Bachelor’s in Business Management with French as well as a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in French Education 11-18.

I am a secondary school teacher of Business, Economics and French in London, UK. Oh, and I am a spoken word and grime rapper. I released a single in December which racked up an incredible 12k streams! I also am a trumpet player (though nobody’s heard a tune for a while :)).

BGLL: What languages have you learned?

Naomi: I learnt French at school and loved it. Although, sadly it didn’t love me. I failed it at 18 and left my 6th form with a lovely U (failure in the UK education system) in French. I, then, thought I would take this subject up at university! I thought it would be a great asset alongside business and, well, I just had hope that I would grasp it once studying it more broadly. It was only when I undertook my year aboard from my course in Tours, France, where I REALLY learnt how to talk in French. I only had knowledge of the selective curriculum and that really was an eye opener for me, as I had to get my to grips with French and quickly.

I am currently re-learning Mandarin; I took this at university for a year and loved it. Then, like with everyone, life happens, and the book got put back on the shelf. I also learnt Spanish to teach a class at school which was fun, so with this unusual time that we are all experiencing, I am putting love back into those languages again.

BGLL: How did you learn Mandarin?

Naomi: I always had an interest in Mandarin as this part of the business world I found intriguing. I felt like if I could master this language, being a young black girl from London, I would be in such a position with my business degree to take flight and make real boss moves! Furthermore, learning about another culture is such a humbling experience. You really become grateful for such things of access that you take for granted. 

BGLL: Did you ever feel shy to speak? How did you overcome that?

Naomi: Very shy to speak French. I used to wait till I had a few drinks to feel confident in front of people. Then I thought, they appreciate you trying to converse in their languages rather than look ignorant expecting them to have a fantastic level of English and that gave me lots of confidence. I was once on a radio station in France where I rapped in French LOL! After that, nothing could really put me off speaking it.  Keep trying it and try some more, it will get there, no rush.

BGLL: What was your hardest struggle with language and how did you overcome it?

Naomi: The hardest part and most poignant part of my teaching career to date, was the time I was literally chucked off my teacher training course, because (according to my mentors) my French wasn’t 'French enough' and more over. was teaching improper French.

My grammar was not up to scratch and frankly this knocked me off the confidence spectrum. I had quit my last job to become a teacher, so I had to make this work. I then was told I need to simply move back to France in order to improve. And that’s what I did, I moved back that September for 4 months to perfect my grammar and upon retune the university wanted me to take an A level in French to asses my new level, I got an A, I finally had an A level and qualified that following year as a teacher of French.

In fact, it was due to this experience that I set up my social enterprise called Languages That Talk. We put the modern back in modern foreign languages learning through role play using situational and functional languages with students in state schools. The aim is to improve the number of BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups) students continuing language learning through school and allow them to understand the employability factors that come with it. 

BGLL: Which of your foreign languages is/are your favorite and why?

Naomi: I love French and Mandarin for different reasons. I have had a long journey to become a confident French speaker and teacher while Mandarin is so different to any European language. With a lack of grammar rules, it [Mandarin] is easier to understand. Moreover, the pinyin (writing form of mandarin) is beautiful to look at. 

BGLL: What are some tips you’d offer to those learning languages?

Naomi: Attend language exchange meet ups. Honestly, there is a meet up for everyone for every language and for every level. It’s a great way to meet new people and have someone to learn with. I would also suggest, watching your favorite series and movies with subtitles—it’s a great way to learn the colloquial side of the language. Also, keep practicing and keep track of your progress. Small wins deserve celebration!

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social (social media)?

Naomi: Tstarnay on Instagram, that is where you will find my music/ rap and spoken word posts as well as a few educational posts. Tstarnay on Spotify and YouTube as well for the music lovers. Languages That Talk will soon have an Instagram account, but for now please subscribe to our newsletter found at https://www.languagesthattalk.com

Peace and love, and never stop learning.

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7/03/2020

Love Sackies’ Love Affair With Spanish

Follow your calling. That’s what Love Sackie decided to do when Spanish became the center of her entire life. Check out the rest of the interview, to find out more about Love Sackie’s love affair with the Spanish language, how she learned it and is using her passion to inspire language diversity. 

BGLL: Thank you so much for sharing your language learning journey with us. Tell us about yourself and what you do.

Love: Gracias a ti for giving me the chance to share my story. My name is Love Sackie and I’m Liberian-American. I’m currently located between Florida & Dominican Republic. My native language is English. I have a bachelor’s in Spanish and had the opportunity to earn it while studying abroad at Ulatina in Heredia, Costa Rica and Montclair State University in NJ.. 

Professionally, I just recently got into teaching, so I’ll be entering the classroom this upcoming school year. I am super excited to get back with making a difference amongst the youth in our community.

Another venture that is close to my heart that I’ll be launching soon is The Love Sackie, Inc. It has all of my lifestyle passions in one - I create customized plans for adults, like young professionals & travel enthusiasts who want to speak Spanish. Another part of it is that like every woman, I adore the beauty industry, so I provide limited & trusted beauty care products that I use on myself.

BGLL: How did you learn Spanish?

Love: My language journey started as a BS degree pursuit, that turned into me graduating with a Foreign Language degree. I have always had love for the Spanish language due to all the diversity within the city I grew up in, and partially because in the US it’s a requirement to study a language in primary school. I did well in Spanish, I thought it was just because I wanted a good grade, but it clearly turned out to be more than that. In college, there’s also a language requirement to graduate. Being that my love of the Spanish language blossomed, of course, I chose Spanish again. I soon caught on that Spanish was really my favorite subject, so I made it my major. That was when it started getting real, it wasn't just counting, “uno, dos, tres…”, it was learning a new entire language on a collegiate level. I struggled at first to fit in with my peers and learn in a relevant way. But once I started getting more comfortable, I found the ultimate learning hack which eventually led to a degree in Spanish with extended coursework in business administration.

I realized that it wasn't just the books that helped me to pick up the [Spanish] language but the people, the culture the food and the music. That's why I make sure I input that part of the focus in my online courses.

BGLL: Are you learning any other languages?

Love: It's been a little bit of a hobby because learning Spanish has opened up the vocabulary of many other romance languages but I’m learning Portugués now & I’m loving it!! Portugués with a side of French. I say with a side because I’m not doing it intensely as I am Portuguese, mainly just French phrases for now but I see it coming. I realized I could somewhat understand Portugués, by connecting with the word “negra” on Instagram which can mean black woman in Spanish but also in Portuguese. I would follow different Brazilian black women on IG and they post in Portuguese. While I’m scrolling, I’ll read and be like, is this in Spanish because I am understanding this? But certain words would be spelled completely differently, so I would just fill in the blanks with the context. I had a similar experience with learning French that I did with Portuguese. Though it didn't come as easy as Portuguese did, I can read it. I’m still working on my accent though.

BGLL: What was the hardest thing about learning Spanish?

Love: The hardest struggle for learning a language for me was not speaking it like I'm speaking English. I don’t like to speak like a child per se, but it’s where everyone starts. I also had to be able to think in another language, write, and chat, so once I’m in my zone, it's hard to snap back to English.

BGLL: Were you ever shy about speaking Spanish?

Love: I'm not a shy person but I do get this question frequently from a lot of students. I never paid attention to it, but looking back I think feeling shy can be a lack of confidence to speak. For me, I couldn’t express what was going on in my head, for example, all the conjugations, etc., because I was overthinking it.  I knew enough Spanish to communicate, but I would hold back and not try to dive in, as in speak with an accent or I would only use the present tense which is easier. I had to go with it and trust my instincts and just speak. 

BGLL: Which of your foreign languages is/are your favorite and why?

Love: My favorite foreign language is Spanish of course! I owe so many of my International experiences and thanks to this language for the doors it opened for me. If I had to think of one thing that sets me apart and makes me unique, is that I'm a bilingual black girl, and soon to be polyglot. I’m someone who identifies as 100% Black & proud- from a small inner-city & I can speak another language fluently. To me that alone can inspire others who may have thought it was taboo, and that's why I study & teach foreign languages. 

BGLL: What are 3 tips you would share with those wanting to learn another language?

Love: Find your reason why. If you’re going to do it, there has to be a driving force behind why you are willing to put your time and energy into learning. Next, be respectful of the culture that comes with the language. Also, become friends with a native speaker in your target language. 

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social (social media)?

My official Instagram is @holalovesackie, all of my links to find me are always posted there. Let's Get Connected ! 

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6/26/2020

She Makes Comics About Language Learning

Everyone has a certain way they blossom when learning languages. We all have our own language learning problems and dramas. Spring is no different. As a language connoisseur, she loves to take bits and pieces of languages and expound on them with her own way of learning language. She also expresses her musings in the form of a comic strip. Read more to find out her language learning techniques and why you don’t have to be “good at language” to be good at language.

BGLL:

Spring: My name is Spring Nicole Johnson and my native languages are English and Ebonics (I like to call it African American Pidgin. It really is a totally different language!). I have a TEFL certificate and currently work as an ESL tutor and Professional Artist. I was doing Caricature drawing for live events, but now, due to our new normal of social distancing, I am venturing into teaching art classes.

One of the things, I am most proud of is my family, because they really are great people. I have been married for 20 years and have two boys, aged 11 and 14. My 14-year-old even made up his own language, with a dictionary and phrasebook (seriously)!

BGLL: What languages do you know?

Spring: It is always hard for me to say which languages I know. That depends on what we mean by "know". I sometimes forget, myself. Because there is always an ebb and flow. I use whatever languages are useful to me at the moment, meaning what helps me to communicate with people I want to get to know in my community. Currently, the foreign languages I use are Burmese, Kayah Li and a little Haitian Creole from time to time. 

The volunteer work I do plays a big part in my reasons for learning a language. I mostly use my languages to teach people about the bible. But I also just really love the sound of words. I was an early talker and reader. I can't stand it when I hear people speaking a language I don't understand. So, if I shop somewhere often and I find a store clerk who speaks a foreign language, I usually ask how to say something in their language and, each time, I build on those phrases and maybe do some self-study. I am addicted to the reaction I get, when they hear a foreigner speak their language. I love to make people smile!

BGLL: What opportunities were you able to take advantage of because of your language?

Spring: I have worked in bilingual customer service because I know Spanish. It also looks very good on resumes. I have gotten jobs that in which I might not have otherwise qualified because I spoke Spanish.  I have also had the opportunity to work as a Spanish medical interpreter. But what was the biggest pay off, is having friends that I would not have been able to know if I did not speak Spanish. 

BGLL: How did you learn the other languages? What made you want to learn those languages?

Spring: I didn't realize it until I started analyzing myself that I have a method. It starts when I meet a person who has an accent and I ask them what language they speak. From there, it goes just like I stated above. I ask for phrases and then go study a little if I can, and ask for more phrases. 

I am motivated by my curiosity about people. I refer to myself as a culture junkie, because I want to know about how other people from other parts of the world live, eat, dress and think. I love to mix what I have learned from different cultures (like Kimchi tacos). You would think I have travelled a lot, because I know random things about different cultures. But actually, I have never been outside of the United States!

BGLL: Did you ever feel shy to speak? How did you overcome that?

Spring: Yes! I am an introvert. My heart races many times when I approach someone to practice a language I am learning. Many times, I have shied away. But I always think about the fact that they are like me, trying to learn another language (English) and be good at it. So, they understand. I have had very few occasions where my fear has come true: The person seems indifferent and ignores my attempt to speak their language. Most of the time, they are happy to hear their own language, the language of their heart, even if it is being butchered by a foreigner. 

BGLL: What was your hardest struggle with language and how did you overcome it?

Spring: MY hardest struggle is that I am naturally undisciplined and have some ADHD tendencies. It is hard for me to sit down and study with a text book. I can study for hours, but not consistently. So, I recently decided that I am only going to study based on interactions I have with people. For example, a friend of mine who is learning Thai, wanted to get me on board too. Honestly, I tried to dive in with learning all the technical stuff, but then I asked myself, "How are you actually going to use the language?" I thought about the fact that I don't come across many Thai people where I live, so the only time I will see them is probably when I go shopping 40 minutes away where my friend lives. So, I stuck to learning a few greetings and I also learned how to say "it's delicious" (Aroy Maak). This was enough to have a positive interaction with a lady who owns the Thai store where I shop. Mission accomplished!

BGLL: Which of your foreign languages are your favorite and why?

Spring: They are like my children. How can I pick a favorite? I love them for different reasons. Ethiopian Amharic, for the rhythmic way it rolls off of the native tongue and introducing me to the eskista (shoulder dance) and some of the sweetest and most beautiful people ever!

Spanish, for the flavorful culture and cuisine (I make my own tortillas) and the simple, but dramatic way you can express things. It is also super useful in the states!

Burmese, for introducing me to a whole new world of culture, I never knew existed. People who go out of their way to show hospitality. Call each other uncle, auntie, brother and sister and greet each other by saying, "auspiciousness to you!" (Mingalaba).

Kayah Li because it is simple to learn, but you must learn from natives or no one will understand you. So, I feel like I have some sort of superpower. Also, the Kayah Li (or Karenni) people are quiet and humble people who always want to share with you. I am happy to have met a friend who speaks Burmese as her second language and she is teaching me her native Kayah Li. I feel so privileged!

French, for helping me to pronounce those fancy words that we say in English the wrong way LOL!

Haitian Creole, for being the fun and zany cousin of French. And there are no extra letters. It is strictly phonetic, which I love. Also, the Haitian people welcome you with open arms. 

Hawaii Pidgin, because it is the language that me and my family happened upon and now, we speak it at home as if it were our own language. It has many similarities with the way I spoke at home growing up.

BGLL: What’s something that language has taught you?

Spring: You don't have to be "good at languages” to learn a foreign language. I think each person can bring their own strengths to it. My strength is my love of words, rhythm and culture. Think of what your strengths are and bring that to the table to make language learning fun and totally worth it!

BGLL: What are 3 tips you can offer those who are trying to learn another language?

Spring:  Find the people first. You'll learn a lot easier and keep your motivation when you learn BECAUSE of people you want to know better. 

Also, if something is not working for you, but it works for other people, don't be afraid to abandon it. Your time is not irreplaceable and too precious to spend on methods that don't serve you well. For example, lots of people like Anki, but so far, it is not a great method for me.

Be sure to listen in your target language. I like music and I also like to watch shows that are in just about every country, like Idol, The Voice and the Got Talent franchise. Even if you don't understand, you'll hear the same words and phrases over and over and learn the rhythym of the language. 

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social media?

Spring:  You can find my art on Instagram and Facebook @springmakesart and my language learning chronicles on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook under Nicole The Linguaphile. I also like to make comics about language learning @shespeakswhat.

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